Hula hoop carrying vaned spinning part



June 22, 1965 W. P. GREEN ETAL HULA HOOP CARRYING VANED SPINNING PARTOriginal Filed Oct. 17,, 1958 WILL/HIV) P027172 GREEN Rose Man/5 GREENHUGH MIcI-MEL 625511 INVENTORS Z) 1% United States Patent Originalapplication Oct. 17, 1958, Ser. No. 767,931, new

Patent No. 3,066,438, dated Dec. 4, 1962. Divided and this applicationDec. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 241,923 4 Claims. (Cl. 46-53) This inventionrelates to an improved toy of the type commonly referred to as hulahoops, consisting of a relatively large hoop adapted to be whirled abouta persons body by a hula type motion of the body. This presentapplication is a division of our copending application, Serial Number767,931, now Patent No. 3,066,438, filed October 17, 1958 on Hoop Toy.

The general object of the present invention is to pro vide a toy whichincludes a whirling hoop of the above mentioned type, but which inaddition includes also another part or unit so designed as to introduceconsiderable added interest to the use of the hoop. This part is mountedto the hoop in a manner such that the part can move freely along thecircular extent or length of the hoop, as the hoop is whirled around theusers body. During such whirling, the centrifugal force exerted againstthe added part or unit causes that part to be continuously urged awayfrom the users body, so that the part always stays on that portion ofthe hoop that is spaced away from the users body. As the hoop whirlsaround the body, the shifting part automatically moves or slides alongthe hoop at a rate which is just sufficient to assure such maintenanceof the shifting part at or near the outer extremity of the hoop at alltimes.

In the form of the invention covered by the present divisionalapplication, the shifting part has one or more vanes, which act byvirtue of their movement through the air, during whirling of the hoop,to cause rotation of the shifting part relative to the hoop. This vanedelement desirably extends about the material of the hoop, and rotatesabout the axis of that material.

The above and other features and objects of the present invention willbe better understood from the following detailed description of thetypical embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a person utilizing a hoop assemblyconstructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

In the figures, we have shown at a hoop which is adapted to be whirledcontinuously about a persons torso, as shown, with the hoop remaining inessentially a horizontal plane during such whirling motion. The whirlingaction is attained by a hula type motion of the persons body, the motionpreferably being an alternate or oscillating forward and rearwardmovement at a frequency just sufficient to properly maintain thecontinuous whirling action. The hoop should of course have an internaldiameter which is considerably greater than the external diameter of theengaged hip or near hip portion of the users body. Preferably, theinternal diameter of the hoop, with respect to the main axis 11 of thehoop, should be between about 23 inches and 43 inches, for best resultsabout 33 inches, with the external diameter of the hoop being somewhatgreater, say about 1 /2 to 2 inches greater.

The hoop 19 may be formed of any suitable material, such as a resinousplastic material of the type commonly employed in similar hoops. Forexample, it is contemplated that a relatively stiff polyethylene, vinyl,polystyrene, or other similar resin may be utilized for this purpose. Asseen best in FIG. 2, the hoop it) may be formed of a tubular material,which is typically extruded or otherwise formed to be of a uniformcross-section along the entire circular extent of the hoop, thatcross-section being shown clearly in FIG. 2. The material of the hoop iscontinuous entirely about the circular extent of the hoop except at onepoint 12, where the ends of the tubular material are securely joinedtogether, as by means of a Wooden plug 13 telescoping into both ends ofthe hoop material, and stapled or otherwise securely fastened thereto.This plug 13 should for best results be shaped externally incorrespondence with the shape of the internal cavity 14 formed withinthe tubular hoop material, so that the plug tightly and closely fitswithin the tubular material to hold its ends in fixed relation. When theends are secured together in this way, the external surfaces of the twoends are in alignment with one another, and form essentially acontinuation of one another.

At its radially inner side, facing directly toward axis 11, the materialof hoop 1d may form a series of irregularities 16 (see FIG. 3), whichare spaced apart circularly with respect to axis 11 in rather closelyspaced relation. Except as interrupted by irregularities 16, the crosssectional shape of the tubular material of hoop 16 may be essentiallycircular, about a center 17.

Disposed about the tubular material of hoop 16 there is provided arelatively shiftaole element 18, which may take the form of a ringdisposed about the tubular hoop material, but loose enough thereon to befreely slidable along the material through the entire 360i circularextent of the hoop, and having a series of angular vanes 118- on itsouter surface. The inner surface 19 of ring 18 may be essentiallycylindrical, and of a diameter somewhat greater than the externaldiameter of outer toroidal surface 29 of hoop iii, and may carry anannular bead 21 for engaging the irregularities 16 formed on the hoop.Bead or projection 21 is preferably of a small enough extent circularlyabout axis 11 to engage and be deflected by the projections 16individually. That is, the circular extent of the inner extremity of lug21 should not be greater than the spacing X between the closestprojections 16 formed on the hoop.

The vanes 118 carried by ring 18 are spaced circularly apart and aredisposed angularly or so pitched as to cause ring 18 to spin about thematerial of hoop it) (that is about axis 17) by virtue of the whirlingmovement of ring 18 through the air during operation of the hoop.

In using the hoop assembly of the figures, the user merely whirls thehoop 10 in the conventional manner, by forward and rearward alternatingmovement of the users body, so that hoop 1d continuously whirls aroundthe body. As the hoop whirls, the inner surface of the hoop engages androlls along the outer surface of the persons body, so that the portionof the hoop which is spaced farthest outwardly from the body is alsocontinuously changing. The centrifugal force exerted against ring 18 asa result of the whirling motion causes that part to constantly remain asfar away from the users body as is possible. As the ring spins throughthe air, its vanes 113 cause the ring to spin about axis 17 of the hoop,as stated above, to thereby present a pleasing-visual effect.

The rolling acion of the hoop on the users body causes the hoop toadvance through ring 18, or stated reversely, the ring 18 progressivelyshifts or advances circularly relative to or along the hoop. Thisrelative movement causes the extremity of projection 21 on ring 18 tomove along the series of teeth or notches 16 formed on the hoop, and bysuccessive engagement with those diflerent teeth 16, ring 18 causes apredetermined vibrating movegreatly exaggerated for purposes ofillustration.

ment of the material of hoop 1G, and of ring 18. The teeth 16 are sospaced that this vibrating movement is Within the audible range, so thatsound is produced in addition to the mentioned visual effect, and isamplified by the material of hoop 10 and ring 18'. The materials ofthese parts are so chosen as to produce a relatively loud tone or seriesof sounds during whirling movement of the hoop.

The material of ring 18 ad its vanes is also so selected as to havesufficient mass to always be maintained by centrifugal force in thedesired outer position, away from the body of the user. It iscontemplated that the material of ring 13 may be die cast metal, asuitable essentially rigid or stiff resinous plastic material, or anyother suitable material having the desired characteristics. Also, hoopIt? and ring 18 should be formed of materials such that theircoefiicient of friction is very small, to allow free sliding movement ofring 18 along the hoop.

It is preferred that the irregularities 16 be spaced apartnon-uniformly, and in a relation such as to produce either spoken words,or a musical tune. However, if desired, the spacing of theseirregularities may be uniform, to produce a constant tone. If spokenwords or a musical tune are formed on the device, the Words or tune maybe long enough to last for two, three, or more revolutions of the hoopabout the users body, depending on the size of the user, since the hoopdoes roll in the previously mentioned manner, and since the shiftingpart 18 therefore does not move entirely about the circular extent ofthe hoop on each revolution of the hoop about the user. Thus, a shortsentence or tune can easily be provided on the hoop.

As will be apparent from the drawing, the spacing between the successivesound producing teeth has been The teeth 16 would normally be spacedmuch closer together 4 than in the drawing, particularly where spokenwords are to be produced.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A toy comprising a hoop adapted to be whirled about a persons body bya hula type motion of the body, a part carried by the hoop for movementrelative there to along its circular extent and for rotation relativethereto and adapted during whirling of the hoop to be continuouslymaintained on the outer portion of the hoop away from the persons bodyby virtue of the developed centrifugal force and resultant movement ofsaid part along the length of the hoop, and vane means on said partdisposed angularly to rotate said part relative to the hoop by movementthrough the air as the hoop whirls.

2. A toy as recited in claim 1, in which said part is disposed about thematerial of said hoop at one location thereabout and is rotated aboutthe material of the hoop by said vane means.

3. A toy comprising a hula hoop as recited in claim 1, including meansfor producing sound as a result or" the motion of said device relativeto and along said hoop during whirling.

4. A toy as recited in claim 3, in which said last mentioned meanscomprise successive irregularities on said hoop shaped and spaced toproduce a predetermined type of sound as a result of movement of saidpart therepast, there being means on said part adapted to mechanicallyengage said irregularities and thereby product an audible vibrationdependent upon the spacing of the irregularities.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS825,873 Van Horn July 10, 1906 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

1. A TOY COMPRISING A HOOP ADAPTED TO BE WHIRLED ABOUT A PERSON''S BODYBY A HULA TYPE MOTION OF THE BODY, A PART CARRIED BY THE HOOP FORMOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO ALONG ITS CIRCULAR EXTENT AND FOR ROTATIONRELATIVE THERETO AND ADAPTED DURING WHIRLING OF THE HOOP TO BECONTINUOUSLY MAINTAINED ON THE OUTER PORTION OF THE HOOP AWAY FROM THEPERSON''S BODY BY VIRTUE OF THE DEVELOPED CENTRIFUGAL FORCE ANDRESULTANT MOVEMENT OF SAID PART ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE HOOP, AND VANEMEANS ON SAID PART DISPOSED ANGULARLY TO ROTATE SAID PART RELATIVE TOTHE HOOP BY MOVEMENT THROUGH THE AIR AS THE HOOP WHIRLS.